Conventionally, there is a controller including a button that emits light. For example, in a conventional controller, a luminous body is provided below a light transmissive or light semi-transmissive button, and the luminous body is caused to emit light, whereby the button emits light.
However, in a conventional technique, there is room for improvement in the structure of a button that emits light.
Therefore, it is an object of an exemplary embodiment to provide a game controller including a button that emits light.
To achieve the above object, the exemplary embodiment employs the following configurations.
An example of the exemplary embodiment is a game controller including: a housing including an aperture portion; a key top of an operation button exposed through the aperture portion and configured to be pressed with a finger of a user; a light-emitting section; a tubular light-guiding portion configured to guide light from the light-emitting section and surrounding an outer periphery of the key top; a light-shielding portion surrounding an outer periphery of the light-guiding portion; and a switch placed below the key top, wherein an upper surface of the key top and an upper surface of the light-guiding portion are exposed through the aperture portion.
Based on the above, a light-guiding portion is exposed through an aperture portion of a housing, and the light-guiding portion is surrounded by a light-shielding portion. Consequently, it is possible to guide light to a surface of the housing such that light does not come out of the light-guiding portion, and it is possible to cause an operation button to emit light, for example, in a ring-shaped manner.
It should be noted that the light-shielding portion includes a member formed of a light-shielding material, and a member obtained by applying a light-shielding agent to the outer periphery of the light-guiding portion.
Further, in another configuration, the switch is placed below a center of the key top.
According to the above configuration, a switch is provided below a key top. Thus, it is possible to simplify the structure of a button.
Further, in another configuration, the game controller may further include an elastic portion placed below the key top and configured to bias the key top in a direction opposite to a pressing direction. When the key top is pressed, the key top may come into contact with the switch through the elastic portion.
According to the above configuration, it is possible to push up a key top with a simple structure.
Further, in another configuration, the elastic portion may be formed of a light-guiding material. The light-emitting section may be placed below the elastic portion and at a position where the light-emitting section overlaps the elastic portion.
According to the above configuration, even if an elastic portion is placed at a position where the elastic portion overlaps a light-emitting section, it is possible to transmit light from the light-emitting section and cause the light to be incident on the light-guiding portion.
Further, in another configuration, the light-shielding portion may be tubular.
According to the above configuration, it is possible to cover a tubular light-guiding portion with a tubular light-shielding portion.
Further, in another configuration, the light-emitting section may be placed inside a region surrounded by the light-shielding portion.
According to the above configuration, it is possible to prevent light from the light-emitting section from coming out of the light-shielding portion.
Further, in another configuration, as the light-emitting section, a plurality of light-emitting sections may be provided.
According to the above configuration, it is possible to cause the light-guiding portion to emit light by eliminating the unevenness of light.
Further, in another configuration, as the light-emitting section, a plurality of light-emitting sections may be placed at positions symmetrical with respect to a center of the key top.
According to the above configuration, light-emitting sections are placed at positions symmetrical with respect to a key top. Thus, it is possible to cause the light-guiding portion to uniformly emit light by eliminating the evenness of light.
Further, in another configuration, the light-shielding portion may not be exposed through a surface of the housing.
According to the above configuration, it is possible to make the light-shielding portion inconspicuous.
Further, in another configuration, even when the key top is pressed, the light-guiding portion may not be pressed in a direction of pressing the key top.
According to the above configuration, it is possible to provide an operation button in which only a key top is pressed, and a light-guiding portion that is around the operation button and emits light is not pressed.
Further, in another configuration, the switch and the light-emitting section may be placed on a substrate provided in the housing.
According to the above configuration, it is possible to reduce the number of components.
Further, in another configuration, an upper surface of the light-guiding portion may have substantially the same height as a surface of the housing.
Further, in another configuration, an upper surface of the key top may have substantially the same height as a surface of the housing.
According to the above configurations, it is possible to make the operation button and the surface of the housing approximately flat.
Further, in another configuration, the operation button may be a home button.
According to the above configuration, it is possible to cause a home button to emit light. For example, the home button is used to perform an operation different from a normal game operation (e.g., display a menu screen), and it is possible to cause a portion around such a home button to emit light.
According to the exemplary embodiment, it is possible to cause a portion around an operation button of a game controller to emit light.
These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the exemplary embodiments will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.